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SPEECH 



OF 



GENEIUL AAEOI tlED, 



OF 



WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK, 



AT A 



DEMOCRATIC MEETING 



r 



HELD AT NEW ROCHELLE, 
^*X MARCH 27, 1858, 



AT WHICH 



IlICHARD LATHERS, Esq, Presided 



PRINTED BY J. W. BELL, DAILY NEWS JOB OFFICE, 
No. 38 Ann-street. 

1858. 



^ J 



wz^ 



SPEECH OF GEN. AARON WARD, 



At a Democratic Meeting held at New Rocbdlo, March 27tli, 1858, in favor of the admission of 
Kansas under the Lcconiptoa Constitution, at which RicnAKD Latuers, Esq., presided. 

The Chairman, after concluding an interest- His late message on the all absorbing Kansas 
ing address, introduced to the meeting their fel- question is one of the most able state papers of 
low-citizen, General Aarox Ward, of AVest- the present day, and will compare favorably with 
Chester County, who was received with much any similar document that has ever emanated 
warmth by the meeting. On rising to respond to from the Executive chair of this nation. (Ap- 
the call, the general returned his thanks for their piause.) His large experience as a statesman 
kind reception of him, and remarked that the ju the halls of Congress— both as a member of 
committee appointed l)y this meeting had called ^he House of Representatives and of the Senate 
in person upon him at his residence, that mor- ^f tj^g United States— during the most trying 
ning, and urged him to attend the meeting of period of our history, under the administration 
the National Democratic party, which call was of General Jackson, which he sustained with 
signed by a large number of your principal consummate ability, as also as Minister Plcnipo- 
citizens, who were in favor of the immediate tentiary at the Court of St. Petersburgh, as 
admission of Kansas under the Lecompton con- Secretary of State under the administration of 
stitution, and he felt it to be his duty to comply President Polk, and finally as Minister at .the 
with their request ; Imt he disclaimed any iuten- Qourt of St. James, have eminently qualified 
tion on his part, to interfere with their local Jiim to discharge the high and important trust 
nominations, but would confine himself to the reposed in him by the democracy of the country ; 
great question which was now agitating the and his inflexible firmness gives assurance to the 
public mind. true friends of our country that we have nothing 

„,. , ,,-,., ^ Txr .1 • to apprehend in regard to the safety of the ship 

Wc have assembled, said Gen. Ward, on this ^ A^ i^ i -i i ^^ t. • <- +i ^ i ,0.,, it^ 

, , ,., ' , ,. ,, ' of State while such a pilot IS at the helm. He 

occasion, to deliberate on public matters, at an , , -1 1 i.- <• 1 • 1 •„! „+„+;„„ r„;ti, 

... . , rn • m, entered upon the duties of his high station with 

important cr.sis in our nationa affairs. The pre- ^ ^^^^ determination not to allow his name to be 

sent Republican party has long been accus- „3ed as a candidate for re-election. He still, as 

tomed, at stated periods, to create, through the ^ , . . ^, . ,-, . i,j. ;„„+;„„ tto 

, ,. , , . .[ .. „ I understand, adheres to that determination. He 

public press and otherwise, an excitement m the . ^ ., „ . ^ ,. ,,^ ,i;.^i,o,.„a nP 

^ , ,. . , . , . \, o ,, . ,1 . is not, therefore, influenced in the discharge ot 

pubhc mmd, with a view ot furthering their po- ,. ., , ,. 1. t- a +-^^ ,•„ +i,«c.i;o-i,+ 

f.,. , 1 ' „ ^ , . 1 • :• his responsible and important duties in the slight- 

litical ends, and that party IS now engaged in stir- , ^ , , .^ 1 •i^„+;^„r. 

' , ,, ^ -^ ,. ° f , est degree by personal or selfish considerations. 

ing one up on the Kansas question, and our demo- _,,.,,, • e ^ ^ ^.,f 

°. ^.^ , . .• r.i , , ,1 But having received the reins of government 

cratic friends in every section 01 the country should „ ,, 1 1 • 1 i 4.^ „;„ii +!,«»», 

.,,,/.., ^ ,r ,. .„. from the people, he is resolved to yield them 

be admonished to be vigilant. Meetings of this . , ,, , /.,• + +„„.^ „„;,.-„,n,-,.o,i 

„ , ,? , „ ^ acrain, at the close of his present term, unimpaired. 

character, in a Republic, where all power ema- » , , . ,- ,,• , 

, » ' , , 1 114.^ Our political opponents and then- anti-alhes wlio 

nates from the people can do no harm, but may ^^^ ^P^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ unrighteous war against 

be productive of much good. ^.^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ .^^ ^^^.^. ^^^^ ^^ .^^ry 

We have great reason to be thankful that wc have their point, by their unparalleled violence and 

at our head a Chief Magistrate who is every way abuse against a faithful patriot and a devoted 

fitted for the crisis. He is firm as the rock on friend to his country, they do not force the peo- 

the sea shore, at whose base the billows pie to insist upon his giving up his own opinion 

dash and roar in vain, and around whoso front and yield'nj to their wishes to run again for a 

the gathering tempest bursts without injury, second term. (Cheers.) 



Our country, fellow-citizens, under democratic 
rule, has prospered beyoiKl all former cxamjile of 
human greatness ; within a period of less than 
three quarters of a century, it has arisen from a 
state of penury and want to its present high 
and exalted station, ranking at this time among 
the most powerful nations on the earth. Its 
population in the beginning was less than[three 
millions, but it now numbers upwards of thirty 
millions of free men. Its sea coast on the At- 
lantic and Pacific Oceans, is far greater in 
extent than that of any other nation on earth, 
and above all, its commerce is pouring the 
wealth of the world into our lap, and thereby 
enriching our people. And, I tliink, I can say, 
that our people are now, through the kind in- 
' terposition of Divine Providence, every where 
prosperous and happy. The blight in our finan- 
cial affairs, which prostrated some of the best 
spirits in our land, will, I trust, soon pass 
away, and our country will be restored once 
more to the condition acquired under demo- 
cratic sway. (Applause.) 

I have listened, fellow-citizens, to the reading 
of the resolutions presented by your committee 
in support of our distinguished Chief Magistrate, 
James Buchanan, and I take great pleasure in 
stating that I am cordially with you in the 
views your committee have taken in support of 
the measures of his administration. We have 
long stood side by side laboring together, 
in support of democratic principles, and that 
too, at a much darker period than the pre- 
sent, and while my life is spared, I will never 
desert you, and you, my friends, will do me 
the justice to say that I do not belong to 
that class of our citizens whom our opponents 
have designated as office Jioklers — and as being 
the only supporters of the administration. That 
charge is not only untrue in respect to myself, 
but it is not true as regards the large assembly 
of democrats who have come here to-day to 
stand firmly by the administration ; and with res- 
pect to myself, I can say with truth, that I have 
never received a dollar from the Treasury of the 
United States, for any purpose whatever, with 
the exception of the pay I received for my serv- 
ing as an officer in the army of the United States, 
•while in actual service, and for the pay I received 
for twelve years, as a member of Congress, (Ap- 



plause.) And, for that last honor, I am entirely 
indebted to you, my fellow-citizens, of this con- 
gressional district. You stood by me during that 
long period through good and evil report ; and I 
take occasion to say, that I fully appreciate the 
high favor you thus conferred upon me, and I 
will strive to return the obligation, so' far as lies 
in my power, by continuing to sustain those 
principles which carried us safely through that 
bitter war declared by our opponents against the 
illustrious Jackson, while I had a seat in Con- 
gress, by the Bank ol' the United States and its 
supporters : the rccharter of which he had the 
firmness to veto, notwithstanding the threatened 
violence of our opponents ; and with the aid of 
the people he triumphed over his foes, as will 
our present Chief Magistrate on the present occa- 
sion. (Applause.) 

We have heard enough, fellow-citizens, of 
bleeding Kansas. It is high time that the pub- 
lic mind should have some repose. AYe have 
matters of much more importance at home that 
demand our attention ; but I think it is manifest 
from what we can hear and see around and about 
us, that our political opponents and their new 
adherents arc desirous of keeping it alive, in or- 
der to bring it into the next presidential contest. 
I fear it is with that view that they are now op- 
posed to the admission of Kansas, as a sovereign 
state, into the Union, under the Lecompton 
constitution ; for they know full well that the 
moment it is admitted they will no longer have 
a suljject which will enable them to keep up the 
slavery and sectional agitation. They are well 
informed on this subject, and they know that as 
the Topeka party have the majority in that ter- 
ritory in the proportion numerically, as they say 
themselves, of three Topeka men to one demo- 
crat, that the peaceable people of the territory 
can and will, in spite of their violent and turbu- 
lent rulers, soon after its admission as a state, 
frame a new constitution, either with or without 
slavery, as they may choose, which will effectu- 
ally put a stop to any further agitation on that 
exciting subject. (Applause.) It seems to me 
that all who will examine this matter with can- 
dor can not fail to come to the conclusion that 
the present contest is, as I have stated, purely a 
political contest for the presrdency. Presiden- 
tial candidates are springing up daily in every 



section of our country. But, in my opinion, it 
is now altogether too early to commence the 
political campaign for 18G0 ; ami when the time 
for another presidential contest shall draw near, 
the weapons. now used against the present Chief 
ilagistrate will be out of date ; and in the 
ranks of our opponents tlu'rc may, and, I think, 
there will be, such changes as to render their use 
more dangerous to those who wield them than 
to those against whom they are now directed. 
( Applause.) 

The sensation which onr political assailants 
are endeavoring to create in the public mind by 
declaring that, if Kansas is admitted into the 
Union under the Lccompton constitution, it 
v.'ill involve the people of that 'territory in do- 
mestic strife, aiid thereby ruin our country, and 
other threatening language of like import, which 
is now daily disseminated throughout the coun- 
try in every direction, will fail to create any 
alarm in your minds, felljw-citizons, or in with- 
drawing any of our democratic friends from 
their allegiance to their party. It is well known 
that it is not their first attempt to alarm and 
influence the public mind against democratic 
measures. If you look back into the pages of 
our early history, you will find that in 1803, 
when that extensive and invaluable territory, 
Louisiana, was ceded to our government 
by France, by treaty stipulations entered into 
oh tlie 30th of April, of that year, our politi- 
cal opponents then predicted that if that terri- 
tory should be admitted into the Union, by 
Congress, with its slave population, our country 
would be ruined. But that measure was ear- 
nestly recommended to the consideration of Con- 
gress by that great democratic leader, Thomas 
Jefferson, then President of the United States; and 
on the 30th of October, of that year. Congress 
passed an act to enable the President to take 
possession of it, and at the same time provided 
for a temjjorary Government ; which act was 
approved by the President, notvvithstanding the 
bitter and violent opposition of our otjponents. 
(Great Applause.) 

And I would now ask, and I ask it emphati- 
cally, whether there is a single true-hearted 
whole-souled American to be found, who will 
not say that it was one of the wisest measures 



ever adopted by our government for the advance- 
ment and prosperity of our whole country in its 
onward march ? 

AVould she not have been involved in a war 
before this, for the acquisition of that territory, 
in order to give to the North Western States 
the free navigation of the Mississippi and its tri- 
butaries for its immense and growing commerce, 
if it had not been acquired by purchase and ces- 
sion ? Tlicre is no other answer, it seems to me, 
but an affirmative one, to be given to that ques- 
tion. 

It vrill, doubtless, be recollected by all whom 
I have the honor to address, that our political 
enemies also denounced, in no unmeasured terms, 
and with equal violence, the proposition to annex 
Florida to our country on account of the slavery 
question, and they then predicted the breaking 
up of the Union on the happening of such an 
event; yet our then chivalric and distinguished 
Chief Magistrate, James Madison, by whose 
wisdom and foresight we were triumphantly car- 
ried through the v»'ar of 1812, disregarding all 
such threats, fearlessly seat his message to Con- 
gress, recommending its admission, and on the 
3d of March, 1819, an act was passed by Con- 
gress, authorizing the President to take posses- 
sion of East and West Florida, under the treaty 
of cession, and also establishing a temporary 
governmciit therein ; and we have great reason 
to return thanks tii an All Wise and Merciful 
Providence for having preserved our people 
from so great a calamity as that predicted by 
our political foes. (Applause.) 

And again, fellow-citizens, who has forgotten, 
or who can ever forget, the overwhelming defeat- 
and overthrow of thousands upon thousands of 
our democratic friends, who raised their voices 
against the annexation of Tcxes in 1845, on ac- 
count of the old worn-out and thread-bare 
slavery question, and v/ho left the democratic 
party upon Texas being admitted into the Union 
as a sovereign state, a state which now forms 
the fairest portion of our Union. It seems to me 
that these and other defections from the demo- 
cratic party, which might be named, can be 
urged as reasons to deter our friends of the 
present day from turning their backs upon that 



6 

party which made thcra all that they are politi- joymcnt of such territory as might be acquired 
cally, and all that they ever will be. (Applause.) by conquest or otherwise from Mexico. The 

discussion of this question, at that time, was of 
Our political opponents being in no way dis- an exceedingly exciting character, and well cal- 
couraged in their endeavor to l)reak down the culatcd to engender a sectional feeling. And 
Democratic party, notwithstanding their repeated what is more startling, it was still going on in 
and signal defeats, finally conceived the idea of both branches of Congress, the Senate and House 
changing their mode of attack, whereupon they of liepre.sentatives, when the glorious news of 
commenced the organization of a sectional party, the defeat of the Mexicans at the battle of Bu- 
by striving to unite the north against the south, ena Vista on the 22d Feb., 1847, was dissemna- 
and this too at the very moment when our ted throughout the country, thereby relieving 
country was involved in a war with Mexico, and the minds of our patriotic citizens from the deep 
when our small army, not exceeding 4,000 men gloom and despondency which had penetrated 
in all, then in the heart of that country, under their breasts by reason of the long delay of Con- 
the command of the gallant and chivalric Zachary grcss in extending relief to our chivalric little 
Taylor, were in want of re-inforccments and of army. (Cheers.) 
munitions of war of every description, and 

were threatened with an attack at the same This great and glorious victory was soon fol- 
time by an army of upwards of 20,000 dis- lowed by others no less important, achieved by 
ciplined troops, under the command of Santa the army under the illustrious commander Lieu- 
Anna, then rapidly advancing by forced marhces tenant Ceneral Scott, thereby adding to our 
against them ; and while the bill making pro- national fame, both at home and abroad, and 
vision for additional forces, vdiich was intended forcing the enemy to conclude an honorable 
for their relief, was pending in Congress, instead peace, which I trust will be a lasting one be- 
of pressing its immediate passage, they threw tween the two Republics. (Applause.) 
every obstacle in its way in order to postpone 

action thereon, and thereby embarrass the By this treaty, which was concluded on the 
government in its military operations. With that 2d Feb. ,1848, at Guadaloupe, New Mexico and 
view they offered that memorable amendment, California were added to our country, which may 
called the Wilmot Proviso, to the bill appro- justly be claimed as having been acquired 
priating three millions of dollars to enable the through the foresight and wisdom of the Uemo- 
President to conclude ])eacc with the Kepublic cratic party, in opposition to, and against the 
of 'Mexico, which reads thus, " and Ije it further wishes of our political opponents, thereby adding 
enacted, that there shall be neither slavery nor to our country one of its most valuable portions, 
involuntary servitude in any territory on the and particularly that of California, which is ap- 
Conlinent of America v>hich shall hereafter be propriatcly called the "Golden Region," and 
acquired by, or annexed to, the United States, which has, within the few years that have elapsed 
except for crimes whereof the party shall have since its cession, added more to. the wealth and 
l)ecn duly convicted : Provided always that power of our whole country than that of any 
any person escaping into such territory from other portion of it. And I beg to impress upon 
whence labor or service is lawfully claimed in jour minds, fellow citizens, that our present 
any one of th3 United States, such fugitive may Chief I\Iagistrate, James Buchanan, whose judg- 
be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed out of said ment and sagacity on the Kansas question has 
territory to the person claiming his or her ser- been so wantonly and bitterly assailed by our 
vices." indefatigable opponents, was the Secretary of 

State ;mu1 confidential adviser of President Polk, 
The object of this amendment was to exclude during the war with Mexico, which has led to 
our southern brethren, whose sous M-erc then en- such brilliant results, and which should assure 
gaged in fighting, side by side, with those of our us that as we have profited by his advice in 
citizens from other sections, the battles of our this and other important national questions rc- 
counlry, from participating equally in the en- lating to our foreign and domestic concerns, 



there is no reason why xve should lose confiilcnco 
in him at this time. ((Jrcat Apphiusc.) 

The question of the admission of California 
into the Union as a state, and that of providinjjf 
for territorial g'overnments in New Mexico, had 
'engendered, hy reason of the continued discus- 
sion of the Wilmot proviso, iu connection there- 
with, a very bad state of feeling. 'J'he excitement 
iu the public mind had become painfully intense, 
to allay whi(;h and to calm the troubled waters, 
•our illustrious statesmen, Clay and Webster, now 
'T!0 more, with Cass and other patriotic states- 
snen, cordially united in their endeavour and 
happily succeeded in effecting the memorable 
compromise of 1850, which embi-aced the fol- 
Jowing acts, first " the admission of California as 
a free and sovereign state in the Union ; " 
secondly, " the establishment of territorial 
govL'rnments for Utah and New ]\Iexico, 
M'ithout the Wilmot proviso ; " thirdly, " the 
establishment of the western boundary of 
Texas, and the exclusion -from her terri- 
tory of all New Mexico, with a great part of 
Texas for a pecuniary equivalent ; " fourthly, 
■" to amend, and supplementary to the act entit- 
led, " an act resjjecting fugitive slaves from jus- 
tice, and persons escaping from the service of 
their master ; " and fifthly, " an act to suppress 
the slave trade in the district of Columbia." 

The acts organizing territorial governments 
for Utah and New Mexico, contained the fol- 
lowing important provision, i.e. " that when ad- 
mitted as states into the Union, the said terri- 
tories or any portion of them shall be received 
into the Union with or without slavery, as the 
constitution may prescribe at the time of the 
admission. This provision cstaljHshed the doc- 
trine of non-intervention, and I did hope that it 
had settled finally and forever, that vexed ques- 
tion. (Ai)plause.) 

The act to surpress the slave trade in the Dis- 
trict of Columbia, declares, " that it shall not 
be lawful to bring into the District of Columbia 
any slave whatever, for the purjiose of being- 
sold, or for the purpo.se of being placed in depot 
to be subsequently transferred to :iny other state 
or place, to be sold as merchandi.sc; ; and if any 
slave shall be brought into the said district by 



its owner, or by the authority or consent of its 
owner, contrary to the provisions of thi.g act, 
such slave shall therefrom become liberated and 
free." Prior to the passage of this act. slave deal- 
ers had been in the practice of bringing their 
slaves into the District of Columbia, which is 
the common property of the people of the whole 
Union, and offering them for sale at public auc- 
tion, to the great annoyance of many of our 
citizens, from non-slave holding states, whose 
business call them often to the seat of govern- 
ment. The passage of this bill with the other 
compromise measures, was hailed with joy 
throughout the country, and hopes were enter- 
tained that our political opponents would not 
have the temerity after so solemn an adjustment 
of these measures to renew the agitation of the 
slavery question again, and more especially, 
since the south had cheerfully yielded their as- 
sent thereto. (Applause.) 

The act of 1854, establishing territorial 
governments for Nebraska and Kansas, em- 
braced the non-intervention clause, identical in 
every respect with the one contained in the act 
establishing a territorial government for New 
Mexico, to which I have already called your at- 
tention, with the following additional clause, viz : 
" That the constitution and all the laws of the 
United States, which are not locally inappli- 
cable, shall have the same force and effect within 
the said territories of Nebraska and Kansas as 
elsewhere, within the United States, except the 
8th section of the act preparatory to the admis- 
sion of Missouri into the Union, approved March 
Cth, 1820, which being inconsistent with the 
principles of non-intervention by Congress with 
slavery in the states and territories, as recog- 
nized by the legislature of 1850, commonly 
called the compromise measure, is hereby de- 
clared inoperative and void, it being the true 
intent and meaning of this act not to legislate 
slavery into any territory or state, nor to exclude 
it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof per- 
fectly free to form and regulate their domestic 
institutions in their own way, subject only to 
the constitution of the United States. 

Upon the passage of this act the discussion on 
the Slavery question was renewed by our politi- 
cal opponents in the halls of Congress, 'n Stale 



legislatures, and upon the slump iu every sec- the non-intervention doctrine which formed a. 
tion of our wide spread country, and was con- prominent part in tlie Cinciimati platform, that 
tinned through the- late presidential dectiou. is to say, that the people oF the territories shall 
Their greatest cry was against the repeal of an exercise control of their domestic relations, all 
unconstitutional law, and against the Supreme of these questions, fellow-citizens, vrere clearly 
Court, for having declared it to be so in the Dred and fairly presented to the consideration of the 
Scott case, and the people are now daily called electors at that time, and confirmed by their 
upon by their orators to disregard it as any au- votes, thereby sustaining the application of de- 
thority, thereby trampling upon the decision of mocratic principles in respect to the organization 
the highest tribunal in our land. And yet, fellow- of new territories, and the admission of new 
citizens, it is, I doubt not, within your recollcc- states, with or without slavery, as the people 
tion, and all who are familiar with the history of may direct. 
the times, that the South offered the Olive branch 

to the North by asking the extension of the I'he question in respect to the admission of 
Missouri line through to the Pacific, which Kansas as a sovereign state into the Union un- 
just and reasonable proposition was rejected by der the Lecomplon constitution is now ei>gross- 
our foes with -disdain, for the reason, no doubt, ing the attention of Congress almost to the ex- 
that the greater part of New Mexico lies south elusion of all other business ; and it is alleged 
of 36 deg. 30 min., and therefore quite as likely that the greater part of our political opponents 
to become a free as a slave state, and much n\ore who now oppose its admission, are also opposed 
so than that a slave state will hereafter be or- to the admission of any other slave state in the 
ganized north of that line, for the laws of nature. Union. Some of the members in Congress, it 
in respect to climate and the productions of the is true, have in so many words declared that 
soil have a much greater influence upon the they will not vote for the admission of a slave 
question in regard to free or slave labor, than state north of 36 30, notwithstanding the com- 
any law which human wisdom can devise ; and promise measures of 1850 and the act of 1854. 
when slave labor shal! be found to be unprofit- There are some few abolition members who 
able in any or either of the states of this Union, have taken the bold ground that they are op- 
the legislature of such state or states will, of posed to the admission of any other slave state ; 
their own free will, pass laws manumitting their but, thank heaven, their numbers are very limi- 
slaves; but it does not follow it can ever be ted, and they do not deserve any consideration 
brough about by threats of violence by the abo- whatever. But, fellow-citizens, I entertain uo 
litionists, for states are like individuals in that doubt that a large majority of the Democratic 
respect, open to conviction by sound and logical party, as well as a majority of the national 
arguments, showing the justice of a measure, and Know Nothing party, will adhere religiously to 
when convinced, will yield their opinion to it, for that doctrine is designed to promote the 
others, but will never be driven to adopt a mea- harmony of the Union, by removing from the 
sure, however just it may be, by force of arms, federal councils the dangerous agitation of the 
(Great Applause.) slavery question, and also of relieving the people 

of the slaveholding states from the arbitrary 
Tou have, no doubt, observed, fellow-citizens, power of hostile majorities, and it was upon that 
that many of the questions which were fully and doctrine that the political contest of 1856 was 
thoroughly discussed during the last presidential fought and gallantly won. (Applause.) The 
canvass, in this state and elsewhere, are re-pro- admission of Kansas at this time is generally to 
duced on the present occasion ; I refer particu- be desired, because it is calculated to i-estore 
]arly to the application for admission of Kan- peace and harmony to the people of the country 
sas as a state under the Topeka constitution, generally, and quiet and prosperity and good 
and its rejection by Congress ; " to the repeal of feeling to Kansas. The constitution framed at 
the Missouri compromise and the decision of Lecompton was the result of a regular and legal 
the Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott case, exercise of power in every respect, and as such 
<leclai5"g it an unconstitutional act, aixl to is valid and binding, and should be so regarded 



9 



by Congress. That defects and errors — if any 
exist— can and will be removed by the people of 
Kansas, in their sovereign state capacity, after 
its admission into the Union. Frauds may be, 
and doubtless were conuuittcd on both sides ; 
but it is particularly the province of their legis- 
lature, when in Senate and Assembly convened 
to settle all election frauds. No other power, 
according to parliamentary usage, can interfere 
therewith. Congress possesses no power. The 
constitution of the United States, and the re- 
spective states, including the Lecompton con- 
stitution; each contain a provision on that sub- 
ject to this efifect — that is to say : " That each 
house shall be the judge of the election returns 
and qualifications of its own members," in such 
cases. And as popular sovereignty is the great 
question of popular rights, when the state is ad- 
mitted, then its people will be enabled to exer- 
cise those rights to their greatest extent, and 
surely as the Topeka party claim to liave so 
large a majority they will have no difficulty, if 
their statement in that respect is true, in ar- 
ranging matters to suit themselves. Let Con- 
gress, therefore, adopt the wise and discreet 
policy of the adminstratiou in respect to tliis 
question, and we will be at once relieved from 
all further trouble in relation to this whole 
matter. (Applause.) 

But it is said by our opponents that Kansas 
ought not to be admitted as a state, because 
there was no act of Congress authorizing the 
people of that Territory to convene a conven- 
tion for the purpose of forming a constitution, 
and because a majority of the people did not 
vote in favor of it at the election on the 21s^ 
December last. How, I would ask, can they 
consistently raise such an objection to its ad- 
mission, when it is well known that they voted 
for the admission of Kansas as a State under 
the Topeka constitution, which received but 
1*700 votes, all told, in its favor, and when it is 
also well known that there was no act of Con- 
gress or of their territorial legislature, which 
authorized the people to convene a convention 
to frame that constitution. It was not, therefore, 
few that reason an organic act according to the 
prescribed formulas of law ; it was, in fact, 
partisan ; it was illegal ; it was disorganizing ; 
it was revolutionary and tyranical, as much so 



as was the celebrated constitution framed by 
Dorr and his followers in Rhode Island, in 1843, 
called the sufferage party ; that constitution 
was the result altogether of a partisan and re- 
volutionary movement ; the convention which 
framed it convened without the authority of 
an act of the legislaiure of that state ; and 
Dorr, on undertaking to assume the reins of 
government as the Governor elect, under it, was 
indicted for treason, and was tried, found guilty, 
and sentenced to the State Prison for life. 

I will not undertake to reconcile the inconsist- 
ent course of oar political opponents for having 
voted for the 'I'opcka constitution, and for now 
opposing the Lecompton constitution, nor for the 
support of Topeka and their opposition to the 
Dorr constitution ; political considerations alone, 
doubtless governed them then as now, nor have 
I any reproaches to cast against them therefor, 
for every individual has, in this free land, an in. 
alienable right to enjoy his own political senti- 
ments in his own way. But I will say, under 
these circumstances, that their objection to the 
Lecompton convention, which was legally con- 
vened under the act of the territorial legisla- 
ture, and was faiily submitted to a vote of the 
people, is not patriotic nor docs it show a dis- 
position on their part to 'settle this unpleasant 
controversy in peace. (Applause.) 

In looking carefully into all the proceedings 
had in that territory subsequently to the rejec- 
tion of the Topeka constitution by Congress, 
and the rejection of the bill which had passed the 
Senate, authorizing the people of that territory 
to convene a convention to frame a constitution 
which was rejected by the votes of our political 
opponents at the same session, and immediately 
thereafter, they having a large majority in the 
House, it will be seen that if they had allowed it 
to pass at that time, all the difficulties would 
have been ended ; but as it was rejected by them, 
doubtless, to subserve their political ends, no- 
thing was left for the peaceable citizens of that 
territory but to elect a new territorial legislature 
and to pass a law calling a convention, which 
was done ; and had the Topeka men, instead of 
aelhering to their constitution and their revolu- 
tionary government, gone to the polls, as they 
ought to haTC done, and voted for the members 



10 



of the territorial legislature, they -would have 
carried the legislature in their favor, if their 
numerical strength in the territory, is as they 
have represented it to be, and all the power 
would then have been in their hands ; but as 
they refused altogether to vote, for the reasons 
stated, the Axult was their own, and they have no 
cause to reproach any class of people, nor have 
they a right to call upon Congress to correct 
their own error. 

The legislature, thus elected, assembled and 
passed a law providing for taking the sense of 
the people at the October election in 1850, upon 
the expediency of calling a convention to frame 
a state constitution. The Topeka men ought 
then, if they had been opposed to that conven- 
tion, to have cast their votes against it, but they 
still obstinately refused so to do, and as the ma- 
jority of the ])eoplc voted in favor of the con- 
vention, the legislature on the 1 9th February, 
1857, in pursuance of the popular will thus ex- 
pressed, passed a law providing for an election 
to be held on the 15th June, 1857, of delegates 
to said convention. And I maintain that they 
have not offered a satisfactory reason for not vot- 
ing on that occasion for those delegates, and hav- 
ing refused so to do, they have no right to com- 
plain or to present their supposed grievances to 
Congress and ask that body to delay doing justice 
to the peaceable people of that territory. (Ap- 
plause.) That convention formed a constitution 
at Lecompton and authorized election to be 
held and the sense of the people taken on the 
all absorbing question of slavery, and I avow that 
it was the duty of the Topeka people then to 
have cast their votes against the slavery clause, 
for it was in their power, if they had a majority, 
to have stricken out the clause in respect to 
slavery. This election was held on the 21st 
December, 1857, but having again, by the dele- 
gate from the territory, submitted the Topeka 
constitution at the present session, as I am in- 
formed, asking Congress to admit Kansas as a 
state under that constitution, therein' still ad- 
hearing to it ; they refused to participate in the 
election, and the constitution was ratitied by the 
people l)y a vote with slavery of G,226, against 
a vote without slavery of 5C9 ; making an 
aggregate vote of 6795, and an aggregate ma- 
jority of 5G5C for the constitution, as now pre- 



sented to Congress. It seems to me, fellow- 
citizens, that the Topeka men, these revolution- 
ists, have no right to ask a delay of the ad- 
mission of Kansas as a sovereign state, since it 
is their own fault altogether, by their having re- 
fused with so much pertinacity to vote at cither 
of the elections I have named, which if they had 
done, they would have had the territory, the 
legislature, the convention, and all in their 
own hands, if this statement in regard to their 
number had been true. (Applause.) 

Our adversaries have brought into this dis- 
cussion the frands which they allege were com- 
mitted by neglecting to take the census in cer- 
tain counties, whereby the electors, residing 
within their limits, were precluded from exercis- 
ing the elective franchise. — Is this not a 
most remarkable objection to be urged, 
for the very men who urge it, did, 
by general agreement among themselves, 
at public meetings and otherwise, detei-- 
mine to withhold their votes altogether, and to 
stand by the Topeka constitution, and they to- 
tally refused, in every section of the territory, to 
participate in any of the elections held in the 
territory, either for members of the territorial 
assembly, or members of the convention, or for 
or against the ratification of the Lecompton con- 
stitution. Has not Congress more important 
matters which demand attention, than to stop all 
legislation, of a public or private character, to 
inquire into questions of this nature which be- 
long more properly to the people within the ter- 
ritory. But as to the truth of their statements 
in respect to these alleged frauds, I would re- 
mark that the fact has been clearly established 
beyond a possibility of a doubt, that the officers 
who were entrusted with the performance of this 
duty, were threatened with death by the revolu- 
tionary spirits, if they undertook to take the 
census, and they were obliged to leave in conse- 
quence of the threats, or their lives would, in all 
probability, have been taken. And in certain 
other cases where free soil men were chosen, they 
refused totally to jierfonn that duty. Of the 
19 counties spolcen of as not represented, the 
census was not taken in four of these for the 
roason stated, the other 15 were fir civil pur- 
poses attached to other organized counties, and 
the citizens had thereby an opportunity to vote 



11 



in those counties, if it had been their pleasure to 
do so, but which they absolutely refused to do. 

Is it necessary, fellow citizens, to detain you 
'ouger on this point, and is it not absurd that 
this should be urged as a grave question, when 
they allege that they have so large a majority, 
and yet not vote. In a repuljlican form of 
government all agree to be ruled by the decision 
of the ballot box. The constitution under which 
we live is a vested contract that the voters shall 
control. It matters not whether few or many 
vote ; the law is equally binding. These who 
withhold their votes have agreed to be governed 
])y those who do vote. — Such we know to be the 
doctrine here, aud such it is every where, and its 
soundness has never before been questioned. 

The objection which has been urged that the 
constitution cannot be amended until after 1864, 
owing to a provision of that character contained 
therein, is without any weight and deserves no 
further remark from me to citizens of our own 
district, who know that the constitution of our 
State, adopted in 1821, contained a provision in 
respect to the future amendments far more strin- 
gent than the one contained in this, and yet th^ 
Legislature, by a majority vote, submitted to the 
people of the State the question respecting con- 
vening a convention for amending the same, 
and in 1846 the new Constitution was framed, 
under which we now live, and I had the honor 
of serving at that time as a memlier of the con- 
vention. The same remarks will apply to the 
proceedings held in the State of Xcw Jerey and 
Pennsylvania ; those states having addopted new 
constitutions contrary to the provisions of their 
old constitutions, similar in many respects to the 
provisions contained in the Lecompton constitu- 
tion, and that by a bare majority vote. There 
caiuiot be a shadow of doubt, therefore, but that 
the people of Kansas can, upon their admission 
into the Uu'on, call a new constitntion by a ma- 
jority vote, aud amend or frame an entire new 
constitution ; the cases cited are alike upon 
<luestion3 of power, and the one i« solved by the 
decision of the other. 

It has been further urged by our hostile op- 
ponents, which argument they say is insurmount- 
able, and that the constitution, as a whole- 



was not submitted to the people for their raifi - 
cation. If this were the first time that the ques- 
tion had been brought to the consideration of our 
people there might be some weight in it, but I 
maintain that, until within a few years past, the 
adoption of a constitution was never submitted 
to a direct vote of the people. — Such was the 
case with respect to the Constitution of the 
United States. It was framed in ITS", in Phila- 
delphia by a convention of delegates "from each 
of the States in the Union, and afterwards rati- 
fied by conventions held in each of the States, 
and was never submttted to a vote of the people 
for their approval ; such was the case iu all of 
the original states of the Union, excepting only 
the State of Massachusetts. The State of Penn- 
sylvania has amended its constitution several 
times, and the pcoj^le of that state are now living 
under one so formed, and such is the case with 
other states which might be named, but there is 
no necessity of multiplying precedent upon this 
point. I have already shown enough to prove 
that this objection to the admission of Kansas 
deserves no consideration whatever, while it was 
not necessary, as we have seen, that the consti- 
tution should have been submitted to the people 
of Kansas for their ratification ; yet the all-ab. 
absorbing question whether slavery Should be 
admitted or excluded was submitted to a .direct 
vote of the people of the territory as I 
have already stated, and carried by a very 
large majority, the Topeka, party, I re- 
gret to say, still pertinaciously refusing to 
vote upon that important question. The vote 
which was taken in January, 1858, thereon, was 
without legal effect and wholly irrelevant and 
void. Mr. Buckelew, iu his report on this ques- 
tion to the Pennsylvania Legislature, on the 
24th December last, makes use of this strong 
language on that subject, " No Legislature in 
the country ever assumed jurisdiction over the 
formation or ratification of a constitution, except 
upon an express delegation of power for that 
purpose, and the assumption of such power by 
a representative body in the absence of express 
grant, must be of necessity an usurpation 
and its acts relating thereto wholly void. 

The Lecompton constitution, gcntienicn, was 
adopted in the regular usual way. It is repulv 
iic;;n in its form ; and the number of the inliabit- 
ants wiLhin the limits of the 'J'ei-ritory is suffi- 



12 



cient to Justify an independent state organization. 
These prerequisites are all the constitution of the 
United States requires to be shown upon an ap- 
plication for the admission of a state. It is not, 
therefore, now necessary to inquire into the num- 
ber of votes polled in favor of that constitution, 
nor into the whole number of voters within the 
territory. Still it may not be inappropriate to 
state that the aggregate number of voters re- 
gistered, in pursuance of an act of the terri- 
torial legislature before the election, as appears 
by the official return, were nine thousand two 
hundred and fifty-one. Now, if there were three 
thousand more voters residing in the districts 
where the Topekites prevented, with force and 
arms, the taking of the census, it vriU increase 
the aggregate vote to 12,250. This estimate 
can not be far from the truth, because at no time 
prior to the 21st of December last, had there 
ever been polled over 12,000 therein; hence it 
will appear that the 6,226 polled for the consti- 
tution is in fact a majority of the whole number 
of voters residing in the territory. The votes 
polled on the 4th of January, as I have already 
stated, being irregular and void, have nothing 
to do with the present question. Besides, as the 
Topekaites have exhibited so great a thirst for 
the blood of all who stand in their way, it is 
very clear that they have no scruples of con- 
science against making false returns to answer 
their purposes. If Kansas is admitted as a 
state, it must be conceded that it can not, nor 
will not, add a single additional slave to the pre- 
sent number in the Union. Such increase can 
not take place until the slave trade is re-opened. 
England and France may change their policy 
in that respect if they choose. The latter na- 
tion has, it is true, given some indication of 
doing so, but I have no fear that the slave trade 
will ever be re-opened in the United States, which 
is now prohibited by the constitution, and there 
is no prol)ability that it will ever be amended 
;S0 as to allow the happening of such an event. 
And if we were now entirely certain that the 
•citizens of Kansas would not, on her admission 
.as a state, strike out the slavery clause, it would 
lafford no good reason for rejecting the bill at this 
time, for the good faith of the nation is solemnly 
pledged to admit any state, either with or with- 
out slavery ; and, although this j)lcdge has been 
but recently renewed, yet let it be recollected 



that our ancestors, who achieved through fire and 
blood, and transmitted to us this fair heritage, 
were theni.^elves slaveholders and slave import- 
ers, and they did at an early period extend their 
hands to their southern brethren, and pledged to 
them their sacred honor that they should never 
be disturbed in the enjoyment of their domestic 
institutions ; and I would ask, can we assume to 
ourselves that we are more patriotic, more virtu- 
ous, or more enlightened than were that Ijand of 
heroes and sages, and that for that reason we can 
trample upon their pledge thus made ? I for ontj 
am not willing to condemn them for that just and 
righteous act. It is enough for us, fellow-citizens, 
to know that under Democratic rule we have now 
sixteen free states, where none existed before, and 
that this number will soon be increased to nine- 
teen, for Minnesota, Oregon, and AYashington 
territories are now knocking at the door for ad- 
mission. All of this has been accomplished 
quietly and peaceably. No objection has been 
made to it from any quarter. But the moment 
an application for the admission of a slave state 
is presented, then we hear the outcry against 
slavery. I earnestly hope that we shall hear no 
more of it after Kansas is admitted. Indeed, if 
Professor Henry's opinion is entitled to consid- 
eration, we must believe that the territory lying 
Avest of Kansas, and extending to the Rocky 
Mountains, is not susceptible of cultivation, and 
no other state can be organized in that direction 
which v.'ill give us any trouble on this slavery 
question. I am glad to see you so much interest- 
ed in this great question, for the present is a time 
for the exercise of our highest patriotic duties. 
The country is convulsed throughout its entire 
borders, and I consider it to be the boundeudaty 
of every democrat, and ind6cd of every citizen 
who loves his country and her institutions, to ex- 
press his sentiments fearlessly on questions like 
the present. Every citizen has the power to con- 
tribute to the support of sound national views, 
and to promote the cause of good government. 
And this can best be accomplished by a firm and 
decided support of great public measures in 
times of excitement and danger. (Applause.) 

Before concluding my remarks, fellow-citizens, 
T feel it to be my duty to bring to your notice 
what has been for some time past, and v/hat is 
still going ou in Kansas, and in several of the 



13 



southern states respecting this unpleasant con- 
troversy. It is a fact, and nnist 1)C within the 
knowledge of all who make it a point to read the 
newspaj^ers of the day, that the leaders and many 
of the followers of the Topekaites have carried out 
the instructions which they received from the so- 
called " Emigrant Aid Society" of Massachusetts 
and elsewhere, to the very letter. These socie- 
ties, instead of supplying their settlers with agri- 
cultural instruments and in encouraging them to 
turn their attention to their agricultural and 
other pursuits peaceably, actually provided them 
with rifles and munitions of war, of erery des- 
cription, and I have no doubt gave them instruc- 
tions to carry on a civil war against the slave- 
holders residing within the limits of that territory 
Acts of violence are daily perpetrated by the nol o- 
rious Latie and his followers upon the peaceable 
citizens. He and his lawless band have kept the 
inhabitants in a constant state of alarm ; they 
have threatened to drive from the territory all 
who in any way advocate or favor the Lecomp- 
ton constitution. 

Gov. Dorr, as I have already stated, was tried 
and convicted of treason for the support he gave 
to the suffrage j^arty constitution in Rhode 
Island, notwithstanding that party had just cause 
of complaint on account of the right of suffrage 
being limited to freeholders to the exclusion of 
all others, and notwithstanding their numerical 
strength, far exceeded in proportion that of the 
Topekaites, yet Dorr was sentenced for that of- 
fence to the state prison for life, while Lane is 
not only allowed to go at large, but is nov/ at 
this very moment engaged in enrolling men to 
carry out his nefarious threats ; and Congress is 
gravely called upon, in the face of these facts, to 
reject Kansas as a state, to trample upon the 
rights of peaceable citizens, and thereby sanction 
Lane in his blood-thirsty and revolutionary 
movements. Such, fellow-citizens, is the course, 
without the slightest coloring, now pursued by 
these revolutionary spirits in Kansas. 

I will now read a resolution adopted in the 
Legislature of Alabama : 

" "While the General Assembly will not assume 
in advance to decide the course to be taken by the 



state of Alabama in the event if Kansas should be 
refused admission into the Union, they neverthe- 
less feel constrained by a high sense of duty in 
the firm conviction that she will redeem her 
pledges, and take no step backward to provide 
the means to determine their course of action : 
Therefore, be it resolved by the Senate and 
House of Representatives in general assembly 
convened, that in the event Kansas should apply 
at the present or any future session of Congress 
for admission into the Union as a state, with and 
under the constitution heretofore framed and 
adopted by her, and commonly known as the 
Lecompton constitution, and shall be by Con- 
gress refused admission, the Governor of this 
state is respectfully instructed, by proclamation, 
to assemble the qualified voters of this state, at 
the usual places of voting, in their respective 
counties, to elect delegates to a state Conven- 
tion, on a day to be by him appointed, within 
ninety days from the 1 ime when he shall receive 
satisfactory evidence of such action by Congress." 
There are other States who no doubt sympathise 
with Alabama on this all absorbing question ; 
the resolution which I have read is calm and dig- 
nified, but is clothed in language which will not 
admit of a double meaning. I would ask, is 
there a true-hearted or faithful patriot living, wil- 
ling to jeopard the fraternal feeling which has so 
long existed between the citizens of the north 
and the citizens of the south. I will not allow 
myself to believe that the Union is in danger of 
a dissolution at this time. 

But shall we, fellow-citizens, by our own indis- 
creet acts, or that of our representatives, hazard 
this threatened collision. Never I never I 

Our Democratic friends in every section of the 
country hailed with joy the passage of the bill 
for the admission of Kansas, under the Lecomp- 
ton constitution in the Senate, and the friends of 
the measure in that enlightened body have nobly 
discharged their whole duty to the country ; and 
I must be permitted to hope, that the House of 
Representatives will be no less patriotic, and that 
we shall soon hear, through our telegraphic wires, 
the glad tidings that the bill has finally passed 
both Houses, and this exciting question happily 
brought to a satisfactory close ; for the memor- 



14 



able words of the illustrious Jackson still ring in 
the ears of every patriot — ■" The Union, it must 
and shall be preserved." This sentiment, enter- 
tained from Washington to Buchanan, has been 
happily expressed by our own poet, General 
Morris, whose name and fame are dear to every 
American, and particularly dear to us, not less 
on account of his sound democracy, but because 
he was the first to name James Buchanan for the 
IjDfty honors he has since attained, and he will be 
the last to leave him : — 



What God In his wladom and mercy designed, 

And armoil with his weapons of thunder, 
Not all the earth's despots and factions combined, 

Have the power to conquer or sunder ! 
Then the union of lakes — the union of lands — 

The union of states none can sever — 
The union of hearts — the union of hands — 

And the flag of the Union for ever 
And ever I 

The flag of our Union forever I 



This speech was well received throughout, and 
the speaker concluded amid the most tumultuous- 
applause. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



016 094 447 fl< 



